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college
Cut off ties with parents after uncovering an infidelity in his father's past, he had had a sixth child with his first wife, Chris was born with Walt's second wife. Reconnected with parents at Graduation, even gave Billie a Mother's Day card. Family last heard from Chris in June, 1990. -
travels
Chris took his old Datsun and drove directly West. Abandoned Datsun in Detrital Wash, Arizona after flash flood soaked the engine. Park rangers jump started the car. It was claimed as police property and was used as an undercover cop car in drug busts.
https://www.google.com/search?q=cars&espv=2&biw=1042&bih=651&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=4sjSVMqfBIuVNqbhgPgJ&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ -
cali
Chris started going by the name of "Alex Supertramp". Alex began keeping a journal, documenting his travels. Oddly enough, it was written in a melodramatic third person perspective. In Northern California, Alex hitched a ride from Jan Burres. Alex grew very close to Jan in their short time together, and from then on out, he sent her postcards as often as possible https://www.google.com/search?q=cali&espv=2&biw=1042&bih=651&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=cMnSVIq8G8PEggTN3ILoAQ&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ -
south dakota
Alex hitches a ride from Wayne Westerberg, in South Dakota. Wayne offers Alex a job, working at his grain elevator in Carthage, South Dakota. Alex, in need of money, gratefully accepts. Wayne becomes Alex's closest friend. Wayne gets arrested, and Alex leaves for Mexico. https://www.google.com/search?q=cali&espv=2&biw=1042&bih=651&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=cMnSVIq8G8PEggTN3ILoAQ&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#tbm=isch&q=south+dakota -
mexico
Alex successfully sneaks across the border in a cheap kayak. He tried to paddle to the Gulf Coast, but the way is blocked by swamps. Some Mexicans give him a ride to the Coast, and he spends a long time there, exploring all of the water routes in the area. After a particularly rough patch of water, Alex abandons his kayak and tries to return to America. https://www.google.com/search?q=cali&espv=2&biw=1042&bih=651&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=cMnSVIq8G8PEggTN3ILoAQ&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#tbm=isch&q=me -
border patrol
Alex is caught by immigration police at the Tex-Mex border, and is held overnight. Once he explains to the police what his situation was, they let him into America, but they confiscated his handgun. http://www.google.com/search?biw=1042&bih=651&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=border+patrol&oq=border+patrol&gs_l=img.3..0l10.46320488.46324765.0.46324967.17.10.4.3.4.0.55.435.10.10.0.msedr...0...1c.1.61.img..0.17.455.1KyYPDOrGuM&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.85142067,d.eXY&dpr=1&ech=1&psi=5MjSVO3bFoOLNrz7gtgP.142310013 -
travels pt2
Alex arrives in Bullhead City, Arizona. Wanting a break from the road, he gets a trailer, and a job as a fry cook at a McDonald's. Co-workers found him very odd, but a great and diligent worker. After many steady months, Alex sends his first postcard with a return address to Jan Burres. Jan, very excited to hear that Alex has settled, makes plans to come visit him right away. http://www.google.com/search?q=arizona&safe=active&es_sm=119&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=nH7TVOrWLsX7sATxk4LIAQ&ved=0C -
slabs
Alex, along with Jan and her boyfriend Bob, head to the Slabs, a huge dilapidated navy air base that is a hub for tramps vagabonds. The Slabs serve as a home/flea market for hundreds of drifters. Alex helped with Jan's stand, which mostly sold books. Alex talked constantly about making his "Great Alaskan Odyssey". Tired of sitting around, Alex makes one last stop in Carthage, before heading off to Alaska. http://www.google.com/search?q=arizona&safe=active&es_sm=119&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei= -
camp
En route to Carthage, then to Alaska, Alex set up camp outside Salton City, California. One day, when hitch-hiking into town for supplies, he was picked up by Ronald Franz, an eighty year old man. Strangely enough, the pair instantly bonded, causing Alex to delay his trip into Alaska. *Franz, having no relatives of his own, treated Alex like a grandson. He taught Alex some craftsmanship techniques, and Alex was able to fashion an elaborate belt and a scabbard for his machete. http://www.google -
alaska
Alex makes his final preparations to leave for Alaska. After very difficult hitch hiking, Alex finally arrives in Fairbanks. After hitching a ride from Jim Gallien, Alex arrives at his final destination, the Stampede Trail. After crossing the Teklanika River, knee deep at the time, Alex arrived at an abandoned bus sitting on the trail. His journal. http://www.google.com/search?q=arizona&safe=active&es_sm=119&source=lnms
entry for that date simply states, "Magic Bus Day!" -
alaska hunting
Chris has six weeks of good hunting. Tried to continue along Stampede Trail, but it proved to be impassable. Alex made the bus his base of operations. On June 9th, Alex shot and killed a moose. The moose was on the "small" side, weighing only 600 pounds. Alex frantically tried to preserve the meat by smoking it, but after 3 days, all the meat was full of maggots. Alex remarked in his journal, "I now wish I had never shot the moose. One of the greatest tragedies of my life." google.com -
death
Alex survived the next few weeks by hunting squirrel, spruce grouse, jays, woodpeckers and frogs. Alex was took weak to get up to hunt, so he slowly starved in the bus. Alex dies, leaving behind one final note: "I have had a happy life and thank the Lord. Goodbye and may God bless all!" Only nineteen days later, six people coincidentally converged at the bus and discovered Chris McCandless.
http://www.google.com/search?q=arizona&safe=active&es_sm=119&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=nH7TVOrWLsX7sATx
